1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an enclosed paperboard carton capable of enclosing cylindrical containers, such as bottles, with a top of a smaller diameter than the bottom, which carton has a unique opening and dispensing feature in the top panel which allows the containers to be removed or dispensed one at a time by grasping the top of the container and pulling it through the opening. The opening is located approximately equidistance between the ends of the carton adjacent to a fold line between the top panel and an adjacent side panel. The opening is closed by a dispensing flap that is tightly attached to the carton by a resistant tear line. A push tab may be provided to commence tearing the dispensing flap open. Containers are dispensed from this carton while the carton is resting on a side panel adjacent to the dispenser in the top panel. The dispenser may have an opening large enough to expose from two to three bottles to facilitate easy removal of the bottles from the carton.
2. Background
Fully enclosed cartons capable of enclosing containers have been used in the past that have a feature for dispensing the containers one at a time. Dispensers have been provided at various locations within these cartons depending on the design. Many of these dispensers suffer from the disadvantage that once open, they allow all of the containers to roll out. In addition, it is difficult to carry one of these cartons without the containers falling out once the dispenser has been opened. Most of these dispensers have been designed for dispensing cans or bottles which have cylindrical tops and bottoms of substantially the same size and configuration. These dispensers are often not suitable for dispensing bottles that have a neck of smaller diameter than the body of the bottle.
Many of these dispensers destroy the overall carton integrity once they have been opened.
Many of these dispensers do not have any means for the easy opening of the dispenser for dispensing the containers inside the carton one at a time. Furthermore, many dispensers are not set up so that the containers inside the carton roll into the position for dispensing once a container has been removed from the dispenser.